LOCO · El Pollo Loco appointed Damon Thomas as Chief Operating Officer,…

El Pollo Loco appointed Damon Thomas as Chief Operating Officer, effective September 21, 2026. This is a routine executive hire with no red flags, the COO role was previously unfilled and Thomas brings relevant operations experience from Shake Shack and other restaurant chains.

• Damon Thomas appointed COO effective September 21, 2026, reporting to CEO Elizabeth Williams
• Thomas previously served as SVP Operations at Shake Shack Enterprises (Aug 2023, Sep 2026)
• Annual base salary of $425,000 with target cash bonus of 75% of base salary
• Minimum annual bonus of $225,000 guaranteed for 2026